Firstcall is Scotland’s leading supplier and installer of energy efficient boilers. Firstcall Home Assist has seen business increase by over 200% since the Government pulled the green deal at the end of July.
As a result of the Government’s decision, many companies have gone out of business. Firstcall Home Assist however has seen a pattern contrary to this trend with a surge in business.
Mr Paul Greaves, the managing director of Firstcall Home Assist and Firstcall Trade services when speaking about the Green deal and the Government’s decision, said: “Many of the companies have done exactly what the Government have asked and invested thousands of pounds training and developing new and existing business, to take advantage of what the Government scheme known as the biggest retrofit since the Second World War.
“Only then to see them back out and pull the funding to a devastating effect. It was typical of the Government. A Government without the sense to ensure it had a plan B to look after those that had supported and invested in its own scheme. The total disregard for the companies that have had to bear the brunt of the lazy Government officials was disgraceful.”
He felt that the officials in question should be made to work in the real world in order to get the vital work experience needed before being allowed again to make the crucial decisions that dramatically affect the lives of small business owners and those who work for them.
For the large companies these decisions had less of a bearing as they had the capabilities to absorb the costs involved in becoming Green deal accredited. In regards to this Mr Greaves stated that “one of the most frustrating elements about the Green deal is in the way the Government pulled the scheme. It was pathetic and cowardly there was no warning for the businesses who had invested in the scheme it was a case of everything being prepared to move into action one minute and then the next to tell your staff that they no longer had jobs.”
He knew of many small businesses and sole traders that have suffered after believing the Governments misleading advice to invest in their business opportunities, with many investing their savings, time and effort to achieve the required accreditation needed for the Green deal.
For Mr Greaves and Firstcall Home Assist it was a case of having to change the Green Deal model overnight after receiving the news at 5pm that the Green deal Finance was dead. Firstcall who employee over 100 staff had to initially pay off some employees as a result however with a new model in place business is now booming once again.
Mr Greaves stated “it had been a difficult, sad and frustrating time to tell people they no longer had jobs as a result, however he had moved quickly and worked to continue to supply Scotland with a better deal.”
The deal itself boasts a brand new energy efficient grade A rated gas boiler with the potential to save customers around £320.00 a year. Included with this flexible affordable finance is a 10 year warranty which puts the Green deal to shame.
Speaking further, Mr Greaves stated that “with the Firstcall Home Assist deal there is no need to pay for an expensive boiler breakdown insurance you normally would pay. This provides households with a saving of around £17+ per month.”
“It’s really easy to work it out that if you add boiler insurance and the savings made by installing a new A rated boiler you can save around £45 per month, we can supply and install a new boiler with top brands such as Worcester Bosch, Ideal and Baxi from around £17 per month, we can also help our customers access £500 cash back if they live in council tax bands A-C but this is for a limited time only as this is a Government ran scheme we have no control of the funding and they can drop it with-out notice at any point.”
For Firstcall Home Assist the deal has seen a rapid growth and has seen them take on an additional 20 apprentices and also in the process of recruiting additional engineers. A lesson can be learned here by the Government that working with the small businesses as opposed to destroying them would help everyone in the long term.
In conclusion, Mr Greaves stated “The offer is there for them. I would welcome them to come in and get some work experience in the real world. I think if they did they would be more readily prepared to make the big decisions they are trying to make and therefore make the economy a much stronger place.”
